1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of auditory training. The invention also relates a hearing aid system configured to carry out a method of auditory training. Furthermore the invention relates to a computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions carrying out the method when executed in a personal communication device.
Generally a hearing aid system according to the invention is understood as meaning any system which provides an output signal that can be perceived as an acoustic signal by a user or contributes to providing such an output signal and which has means which are used to compensate an individual hearing loss of the user or contribute to compensating the hearing loss of the user or contribute to compensating the hearing loss. A binaural hearing aid system always consists of two hearing aids, one for each ear of the hearing aid user.
Furthermore, auxiliary devices whose main aim is not to compensate for a hearing loss, for example consumer electronic devices (smart phones, tablet computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), MP3 players, televisions, hi-fi systems etc.) may also be considered part of a hearing aid system, provided they have measures for compensating an individual hearing loss or measures for controlling the operation of a hearing aid.
Within the present context a hearing aid can be understood as a small, battery-powered, microelectronic device designed to be worn behind or in the human ear by a hearing-impaired user. Prior to use, the hearing aid is adjusted by a hearing aid fitter according to a prescription. The prescription is based on a hearing test, resulting in a so-called audiogram, of the performance of the hearing-impaired user's unaided hearing. The prescription is developed to reach a setting where the hearing aid will alleviate a hearing loss by amplifying sound at frequencies in those parts of the audible frequency range where the user suffers a hearing deficit. A hearing aid comprises one or more microphones, a battery, a microelectronic circuit comprising a signal processor configured to provide said amplification, and an acoustic output transducer. The signal processor is preferably a digital signal processor (DSP). The hearing aid is enclosed in a casing suitable for fitting behind or in a human ear.
Thus within the present context the term “hearing aid system device” may denote a hearing aid or an auxiliary device.
Auxiliary devices such as e.g. remote controls, smart phones and tablet computers adapted for use with hearing aids are known. They offer a convenient way of operating various user-accessible features of a hearing aid such as volume level and program selection.
Hearing aid systems can compensate for compromised audibility and provide frequency dependent amplification. However, it may be difficult for the hearing aid system to fully compensate all the difficulties that hearing impaired users face due to their limited frequency resolution, impaired temporal processing, maladaptive listening strategies and changes in cognitive function. These skills can however be enhanced with training.
Despite the documented benefit of training, several reports have shown that less than 10% of audiologists offer comprehensive auditory training to patients with hearing impairment, the reasons for the reluctance to offer training is described in the article: “WARNING: Do NOT Add On Aural Rehabilitation or Auditory Training to Your Fitting Procedures”, by Sweetow and Henderson Sabes in Hearing Review June 2007, from the 2007 Clinical Research Summit.
Even with training from the audiologist, the training is often not sufficient, because the hearing impaired is unwilling to spend more than a few visits at the audiologist being trained. Thus the offer, from the audiologist, to train the hearing impaired is often refused by the hearing impaired because of the inconvenience of going to the audiologist. To benefit optimally from the hearing training, the training sessions should be followed regularly. Several computer programs working as stand alone, or in a network using e.g. the internet, have been proposed, hereby offering training for the hearing impaired at home.
2. The Prior Art
EP 1912476 B1 discloses a method of training auditory skills of a hearing aid user by means of the following steps performed by a hearing aid: presenting a sound sample, recording and analyzing the response of the hearing aid user to the sound sample, and repeating the training step multiple times, including the steps of presenting different sound samples as well as recording and analyzing within the framework of a training session, and by means of the step of providing feedback, related to the progress in the training success, to the hearing aid user. However, the publication is silent with respect to how the response of the hearing aid user is recorded and evaluated.
A number of computer-assisted auditory training software programs have been proposed, e.g. CASPERSENT, CAST, LACE, etc. These programs include exercises to facilitate the improvement of auditory skills using natural or processed (e.g. frequency filtered or time compressed) speech, environmental sounds, pure tones, or music. These exercises can typically be performed in quiet or in the presence of competing noise.
While these programs provide a convenient and effective means to provide auditory training, there are situations where these existing computer programs do not suffice. First, these programs use speech as part of the training, which render them language-dependent, and the development cost of such a training program can be a major obstacle in language regions where the number of patients potentially benefitting from the program is small. Second, these programs require recording of natural speech as a stimulus. Natural speech is a logical choice when the goal of the training is to improve speech-in-noise performance. However, the selection of the natural speech to be used as stimulus can be a tedious undertaking. Also, the recording of the stimuli can be a time consuming task. Third, depending on the design of the training program, the trainee may find the training tedious and unexciting. More entertaining training programs have been shown to reduce dropout rates, and to improve effectiveness of auditory training.
It is therefore a feature of the present invention to provide a more efficient, reliable and entertaining method of providing auditory training and to provide a hearing aid system for training the auditory skills of a hearing impaired user.